Black Bean & Ivory Quinoa with Feta

What a colorful, delicious addition to any meal. I’ve always loved the diversity of quinoa. There’s so much you can do with it! I was playing around with ingredients last night and came up with this recipe. It’s arguably one of the tastiest quinoa dishes I’ve ever made. And I know one other person who can vouch for that, seeing as I made 8 servings last night and there are no leftovers 🙂

For 8 servings you will need:

1 c. White Quinoa

2 c. Vegetable Broth

15 oz. Black Beans

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Green Bell Pepper

1/2 Small Red Onion (finely diced)

1 c. Feta Cheese (crumbled)

Salt + Pepper (to taste)

Handful of Fresh Parsley (chopped)

Directions:

Place the quinoa + broth into a medium saucepan and cover. Heat on high until it starts to boil. Turn heat to medium-low and cover for about 10-15 minutes or until almost all the broth is absorbed. Add the salt + pepper + veggies + beans and stir to combine. Leave covered and turn heat to low until all the broth is absorbed and vegetables are heated through but still crunchy.

Remove from heat to a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the feta cheese + fresh parsley. Now it’s ready to be served! The best thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t need to be reheated once you’ve stored it in the fridge. You can serve it hot or cold, whichever you prefer.

Note:To save on time, as you start the quinoa, prep your veggies. By the time you are done with that, usually you can add it right to the pot, but make sure to keep an eye on the broth. It’s also fine if the broth is completely absorbed before you put the veggies in there.

Quinoa

Known as the gluten-free complete protein, quinoa has become quite popular! It originated over 7,000 years ago in South America. While some people call it an “ancient grain”, it is not a grain, however, it is a seed. Due to its fibrous quality, quinoa helps you feel full faster, which in turn can be a valuable tool to lose weight. It’s a nutritious, gluten-free alternative, which means that people who need a gluten-free diet or have Celiac Disease can incorporate it into their diet. And, big surprise, this awesome food has a lot of antioxidant power which in turn can help treat, even prevent cancer, along with many other diseases. It supports healthy heart function and is filled with manganese, magnesium and phosphorous, all of which help reduce the risk of diabetes and supports bone health. Now why wouldn’t you want this in your diet?

Nutritional Information

If you are keeping track of what you are eating, whether you have a health condition or need to lose weight and not sure if you are getting all the nutrients you need, this next section is for you. It’s always good to know what we are putting into our bodies, especially if you are looking to get healthy and stay healthy.